Love Beyond Words

by Bethany Claire

  Raudrich couldn’t deny that such a plan appealed to him. He wanted his body back, and if they could, his sight, as well.

  “If ye all wish to do this, I willna fight ye on it. With my eyes, and now this, I havena felt like myself for far too long. Timothy’s death has placed a strain on all our magic. It willna take long for Calder to begin to feel the ill-effects of being away from the castle.”

  Maddock’s angry voice spoke beside him.

  “Then may he lose his sight completely and much more quickly than ye lost yers.”

  All of the men looked at Maddock in question, but before he could say more, Harry stood.

  “Then, let us begin, lads. Should this work, Raudrich, ye may have to be the one to finish dinner for I doona know if the rest of us will be able to stay standing afterwards.”

  Raudrich laughed as the men formed the necessary circle around him.

  “If ye succeed at healing my ribs, my nose, and my sight, I shall wait on ye all hand and foot for a fortnight, at least.”

  Ludo laughed and Raudrich shifted so he could lie down completely on the bed. The healing was bound to be unpleasant, and he needed to prepare himself for the pain.

  “Doona make promises ye have no intention of keeping. We all know that by this time tomorrow, ye will be ordering us about. Ye will have no sympathy for our exhaustion.”

  Ludo was probably right about that. Serving as laird for the past two years in Allen territory had made him bossy. It would take time for him to grow used to an equal partnership with the other men again.

  Energy built in the room as they started to chant. It didn’t take long for the pain to begin to sear through his body. Try as he might to swallow his screams, they wouldn’t stay inside him.

  It was horrific. No matter how much he screamed at them to stop, they continued their chant.

  He wished he would pass out, but as the pain raged on, he remained awake, feeling the shift of every bone and every pull of his skin.

  Only as his vision cleared and he was able to make out the beams across the ceiling was he able to relax into the pain.

  As soon as they were finished, it would all be worth it.

  Chapter 19

  True to his word, Raudrich worked in the kitchen finishing their meal while the rest of the men rested. He had more energy than he’d had in months.

  His ribs were still sore—a garish bruise spread all the way down his left side—but blessedly, they were no longer broken. His nose was as straight as it ever had been, and his vision was completely healed.

  The only thing putting a damper on his mood was the anticipation of the hard time the men would give him over the quality of their meal. He’d not had cooking duty in over two years, and it showed.

  The bread was edible, but chewy. The stew was too salty and the meat within it too tough. His hope was that they would all be too tired to care about what a poor job he’d done finishing Quinn’s stew.

  “I willna be surprised if Harry sleeps through dinner. I could hear his snores from the other side of the castle.”

  Raudrich looked up to see Maddock enter the kitchen. The man looked dead on his feet, wobbly and unsteady as he walked toward him.

  “Take a seat, man. Ye should be in bed yerself. I told ye all I would come to fetch ye when ’twas ready.”

  “Ach.” Maddock waved a dismissive hand but took a seat on the wooden stool that sat beside the large wooden preparation table. “I’m still too angry to sleep.”

  So relieved at his recovery, Raudrich had been able to put thoughts of Calder aside for a short while. Maddock’s words immediately brought the questions he’d had before the healing session back to him.

  “Ye never did tell me. What did he do? What did ye hear him say?”

  Maddock leaned into the table for support as he spoke.

  “I’ll not tell the other men. ’Twould embarrass Laurel if she heard of it, and I doona wish to betray her trust. But seeing as ye’ve known her so long, I thought it best ye hear what was done to her.”

  Raudrich didn’t bother correcting Maddock. It was fine with him if all save Harry believed he and Laurel had a history. It would allow him to spend more time with her without questions arising from the other men. He barely knew the lass, none of them did, but he very much wanted to know more about her.

  Whatever he’d expected, it had never crossed his mind that what had happened with Calder had anything to do with Laurel. The sense of protectiveness he felt come over him at knowing Calder had wronged her surprised him immensely.

  “Laurel? What does she have to do with this?”

  “It has everything to do with Laurel. He all but attacked her, and when I stepped in to chide him for it, he said things about her that I wouldna say to a dog. I wanted to kill him. Truly, I did.”

  “What did he say?”

  Maddock shook his head and exhaled sadly.

  “Ach, Raudrich, ye should’ve seen her face. She looked like a child her expression was so wounded. I doona think I shall ever be able to forget it. Not that I blame her for being hurt. His tone was so cruel and his words unjust in every way.”

  Raudrich quickly grew impatient.

  “For the love o’God, man, what did he say to her?”

  “He dinna say it to her, which, if ye ask me, made it even more unkind. He spoke to me, though he knew good and well she could hear every word. She was standing right next to us.”

  Raudrich dropped the knife in his hand dramatically and crossed his arms as he stared at Maddock, silently urging him to continue.

  “He said that ’twas bad luck that she was here, that only bad things would come from it, and that the only reason we permitted her being here was because we were filled with lust and enjoyed having a lassie about. Then he said she was too full-figured to be pretty and that we were damned fools. He said that half our pigs were less pudgy. ’Twas unnecessary and cruel. Most men would’ve simply decked him, but ye know as well as I how such words would wound a woman. She did nothing to deserve his cruelty.”

  Raudrich knew he should’ve felt angry, but confusion was pushing any other emotion away.

  “What the hell is he talking about? I doona believe I’ve ever seen a woman whose appearance I fancied more than Laurel’s.”

  The confession slipped out of him, and he immediately regretted his honesty as he saw Maddock smile.

  “Well, I’m certain she will be glad to hear it. Her brother claims she’s in love with ye. But I…”

  Stunned, he interrupted Maddock.

  “In love with me?”

  Maddock, wide-eyed and smiling, nodded.

  “Aye. She hasna yet told ye, then? Well, pretend ye are surprised when she does. I wouldna want her thinking I spoiled her admission.”

  Maddock was clearly under a false assumption, but he could see no reason to correct him.

  “I dinna mean to interrupt ye, ye just surprised me, is all. What were ye about to say?”

  He sat quietly for a moment as if he were trying to remember. Then he shook his head as it came back to him.

  “Oh, I was just going to agree with ye. While I suppose such a scrawny, unfortunate looking bastard like Calder would prefer a lass small enough to make him feel like more of a man, I doona mind a lassie with more meat on her bones. I find Laurel verra bonny, as well. I believe ye would be hard pressed to find a man who shares Calder’s opinion of her.”

  Even Maddock’s suggestion surprised him. While he knew his vision had still been impaired when he visited with Laurel, her size had never crossed his mind. More than that, he could still remember what it felt like to hold her in his arms. He’d never found the feel of someone against him more pleasing.

  “Calder is an imbecile and I am glad we are rid of him.” Raudrich paused and brushed his hands on his pants. “Now, let us put all of this nastiness behind us, for I doona like such talk of Laurel even between us. She deserves more respect than to be whispered about amongst men.”

  Maddock stoo
d and nodded in agreement.

  “Aye, ’tis precisely why I will say nothing of this to the other men. ’Tis only that I willna be surprised if she still seems rattled by the whole ordeal over dinner. I dinna want ye asking her what was wrong in front of everyone else, so I thought I should tell ye.”

  If Laurel’s belief in her own beauty was in any way damaged by Calder’s idiocy, he would make certain that her confidence was restored.

  “I’m glad ye did. Do ye have the strength to go and gather the others for dinner, or should I?”

  Maddock sank bank down onto the stool.

  “If I walk back up those stairs again, I willna have the strength to come back down them for dinner. Best ye go.”

  Raudrich smiled. He expected his friend was milking the situation just a little.

  “Aye, fine. Go and rest yerself at the table. I’ll gather everyone now.”

  Chapter 20

  “I can wait if you want, Laurel. It’s really not a big deal.”

  Marcus was eyeing me skeptically. He could see that something was wrong. While he knew better than to ask, I could see that it annoyed him that I’d yet to tell him what was up with me.

  I didn’t want to talk about it. Not with Marcus. Not with anyone.

  It had taken an hour-long walk, three failed attempts at meditation, and some serious positive self-talk to gain my composure. I’d actually been thankful for the screaming—terrifying as the sound was with the way it echoed down every hallway in the castle—when it began. It helped me block out my own self-pity-filled thoughts. By the time the mysterious screaming finished, I was in a much better mood.

  “No, it’s okay. Go ahead and go down. I’m just going to finish braiding my hair. I’ll be down in just a minute.”

  I wanted a few minutes to myself before dinner. I needed to take a few deep breaths and figure out how I was going to manage to sit across from Calder without lunging across the table at him or collapsing into tears again.

  Maddock had been nothing but the perfect gentlemen—understanding and tender as he’d held me and allowed me to cry. He’d also hit on me in the absolute kindest way I’d ever been hit on in my life, but I’d not read into that overmuch. It was a pity come-on, but I still appreciated it, all the same.

  Marcus hesitated as he reached the doorway.

  “Do you think it’s safe? What do you think that screaming was?”

  While part of me hoped the screaming was a result of Maddock hooking Calder up to some horrifying torture device, I knew his rude words weren’t enough to deserve such pain.

  “I’m not sure, but I suspect maybe they came from Raudrich. I don’t know how medical stuff works around here, but if they were trying to set his ribs or his nose or something, that must have hurt like a son of a bitch.”

  Marcus bared his teeth sympathetically.

  “Ouch. I really do need to apologize to the guy. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that interaction.”

  If Raudrich’s interaction with me was any indicator of his true character—which I had a feeling it was—he would be perfectly receptive to Marcus’ apology.

  “Maybe after dinner you can go and see him. He’ll be kind to you, I’m sure. You’ll feel better once you get it out of the way.”

  He nodded and opened the door to leave me.

  “You’re right. Don’t take too long. I don’t want to field dinnertime questions from everyone without you.”

  Once the door closed behind him, I quickly finished the loose braid at the nape of my neck and allowed it to drape over my left shoulder.

  I never braided my hair back home, but something about it felt century-appropriate regardless of whether or not that was actually true.

  Taking a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I felt a little bit better than I had all day. Calder was entitled to his opinion. It didn’t make it true. My breasts looked awesome in this dress, and my extra “padding” as Calder had said, gave me a comely shape that I quite liked. I had a pretty face and smile, and as far as I was concerned, Calder had the face of a constipated pug. I was certain I had far less trouble picking up men than he did women.

  “Screw him.”

  I whispered the words under my breath just as someone began to knock on the door to the bedchamber. Dread filled me. If it was Calder, I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t need his apology. I didn’t need to ever speak to him again. Smoothing my dress and straightening my shoulders, I cautiously walked over to the door.

  “Who is it?”

  “’Tis Raudrich, lass. I came to fetch ye for dinner.”

  “Raudrich?”

  I was so surprised to hear his voice on the other side of the door that I flung the door open so quickly, it nearly hit me in the head. As I looked back at him, I reeled back in shock.

  “Wha…Wha…How? You look great.”

  It was nearly as baffling to me as the time travel. Raudrich had looked absolutely awful only a few hours earlier, now he looked unnervingly hot.

  His bloodied and swollen nose was healed, and from the way he stood, I didn’t believe his ribs were hurting him any longer.

  He also was no longer squinting, almost as if he could see perfectly well.

  He smiled at what I knew had to be my bug-eyed expression.

  “Ye do know that we are druids, lass? Dinna ye hear me screaming? They healed me.”

  So that part of the legend was true. I could mark one question off of my very long list.

  “Um, yes, yes I definitely did hear you screaming, but I never imagined that they were doing all of that.” I motioned up and down his body with my hand, and he laughed.

  “Ye approve then? I look fair better than I did before, aye?”

  “You still looked pretty good before, too, but now you look…wow.”

  The moment I heard the words leave my mouth, I nearly fell back in shock. What the freaking hell had gotten into me? I could feel the blood rush to my face as I warmed into a horrifyingly embarrassing blush.

  Thankfully, he said nothing to embarrass me further and gracefully moved on to another topic of conversation.

  “I hope ye are not overly hungry. The lads are all rather tired after the spell they did for me so I was forced to finish the meal. It has been some time since I cooked. ’Tis rubbish.”

  I was famished, but I wouldn’t tell him that.

  “I’m sure it will be fine. Is everyone else already down there? I’m sorry if you all were waiting on me. You really should have just gone on ahead.”

  “All save Calder are on their way downstairs now.”

  At the mention of Calder’s name, my smile fell. I hoped that Raudrich didn’t know about what happened. I tried to keep my tone as congenial as possible as I asked about him.

  “Why isn’t Calder going to dinner?”

  “He’s gone, lass.”

  “Gone?”

  I couldn’t tell from his expression whether he knew about what had happened or not. He was totally unreadable.

  “Aye. We doona expect that he will return.”

  “Oh.” It felt as if a weight had lifted from my chest. I was beyond glad that I wouldn’t have to see him again.

  He offered me his arm and I took it as we made our way downstairs.

  “Do ye still wish to know the truth of this place?”

  I nodded as I looked up into his dark brown eyes.

  “Of course, I do.”

  “After dinner, come and wait for me on the stairs. I must make certain that Nicol is out of the castle before I show ye. Once he is gone, I’ll come to get ye.”

  I couldn’t wait for dinner to be over.

  Chapter 21

  Seeing her now, laughing at one of Ludo’s very unfunny jokes, her blue eyes twinkling in the candlelight, he knew one thing with certainty: he wasn’t the one with unwell eyes, Calder was as blind as a bat.

  Raudrich already knew he thought her beautiful, but with his sight fully restored, Laurel truly did take his breath away.

  She see
med to be having a similar effect on Maddock, and Raudrich didn’t care for it at all. The man stared at her with doe-like eyes as he laughed and smiled right along with her. For a group of men who were supposedly so weak from using their magic on him, not a one of them was having a problem conversing with her.

  He and Marcus seemed to be the only one’s not enjoying dinner with the same joyous abandon as the rest of them. They sat awkwardly next to one another, neither of them saying a word until Marcus finally leaned over to speak halfway through dinner.

  “Uh…I suppose it’s time that I introduce myself to you. I’m Marcus.”

  Raudrich gladly took the man’s hand. He needed a distraction from watching the other men fawn all over Laurel.

  “Raudrich. I am sorry I was not here to greet the two of ye when ye arrived.”

  Marcus snorted and withdrew his hand.

  “I’m sorry you weren’t here, too. If you had been, I wouldn’t have had reason to punch you in the nose. By the way, I really am sorry about that. I mean, if it had been how it appeared, I wouldn’t be sorry at all, but seeing that it wasn’t, I do regret breaking your nose.”

  Raudrich pointed to his nose and smiled. “No worries, lad. As ye can see, ’tis fixed well enough now.”

  Marcus nodded. “Good. I’m glad there are no hard feelings.”

  “None at all. Ye were right to defend Laurel in such a way.” He looked across the table and glared as Maddock reached out to touch Laurel’s hand as he spoke to her. “I can assure ye, I would do the same if I saw anyone place an unwanted hand on her.”

  He was tempted to smash Maddock’s nose in right this second.

  Marcus followed his gaze and laughed.

  “She’s oblivious to it, you know. She knows so much about love in her writing and so little about it in real life. I’ve watched grown men trip over themselves trying to get her attention, and she doesn’t notice.”

  Marcus’ insight into Laurel was enough to pull his attention away from the soon-to-be-sorry Maddock.

  “Love in her writing? Does she write poetry?”

  “No. She writes romance novels.”

  He’d never heard of such a thing.